Zion's My Alexander aka Alex.....

I’ve been so sad lately. Alex is getting worse as the weeks go by. He is now having a hard time getting up and it is happening more frequently. It’s like he’s in dog hospice and we are waiting for him to die – or waiting for him to be so bad that I have to make a decision that I dread to have to make for the 2nd time. I am actually experiencing anticipatory grief just like I did with my mom. Not quite the same intensity of course, but nonetheless – it is there.

Where did the years go with this wonderful pet of mine named Alex? I remember taking him with me everywhere in that little Ford Escort Station Wagon and he was so big inside. Ha! He would stick his head out the window and feel the wind. He loved it.







I would take him to the library with me and he would spend the day with me downstairs cataloging books. The kids loved him and would come and visit him after school.

At the library

He took trips to Detroit with me and to Kentucky. He loved walking around his 15 acres and getting in the pond when he got hot. He would walk down the street and visit the neighbor dogs across the street. Now it is 11 years later and he is an old man with a spinal disease. Time passes much too quickly and you don’t realize it until you have to look back……

Alex had a house call from the vet Friday afternoon. I can no longer take him to the vet. He can’t get in the vehicle – and at 135 lbs. I am not able to lift him – so the vet comes here. There was some blood drawn so we can check his thyroid - he has been on thyroid medicine for over a year. The vet - Dr. Nathan discussed with us my research on DM said something about lumbar spinal stenosis as a possibility as well - cannot be sure - I still think he has DM.  I looked up spinal stenosis and there is pain involved and Alex shows no pain (I am with him all the time) but we are just going to keep Alex comfortable. We can do x-rays but I don't think I will have him go through that. He is 11 years old, which is a good long life for a dog - really. We can give him supplements but if he has DM won't help much especially at his age which I realize - which we really won't know until he has an autopsy ----so we just talked a bit about euthanizing Alex when the time comes - Dr. Nathan will come to the house. Also talked about sending Alex to Columbus to check his spine after he dies - the only way to determine if he actually has DM. Alex isn't ready to die yet so all is ok, really. I think he has a while yet – but who knows. It could be next week it could be next month. Dr. Nathan gave the ok on the dog booties for Alex - so I will get some for him. He has actually worn his nails down to the quick by dragging his left foot all the time. We discussed quality of life - Alex's quality of life and ours.....So, will take it day to day.